Iran rejects Trump proposal to finish conflict, offers 5 situations : NPR

A lady appears to be like out from her destroyed house within the stays of a residential and industrial constructing within the Shahrak-e Gharb neighborhood of Tehran, Iran, on March 21. The constructing was hit on March 16 amid U.S. and Israeli assaults and resulted in a number of deaths.

Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

cover caption

toggle caption

Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

Click here to listen to NPR’s State of the World podcast, a human perspective on global stories in just a few minutes, every weekday.

Iran’s authorities on Wednesday rejected President Trump’s plan for ending the conflict and vowed to proceed preventing till a listing of Iran’s personal situations are met. Iran’s calls for embody conflict reparation funds and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

The back-and-forth proposals got here whilst Israel is intensifying its battle towards Iran and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, and because the Trump administration is sending hundreds of Marines and Army troops to the area.

The Iranian Parliament speaker said he believes that Iran’s enemies are making ready to occupy an Iranian island.

Here’s what else to know concerning the newest developments within the battle.

To leap to particular areas of protection, use the hyperlinks beneath:

Ceasefire proposal | U.S. paratroopers | Strait of Hormuz | Hezbollah | War damage | Attacks in Iraq

Iran makes a counterproposal demanding reparations

Iran has rejected President Trump’s plan for ending the conflict and introduced 5 situations of its personal.

The English department of Iran’s state broadcaster, Press TV, reported the response, citing an Iranian senior political safety official, and Iranian embassies shared the federal government’s calls for on social media as properly.

The situations embody safeguards towards future assaults on Iran, the cost of conflict reparations to the nation and a recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Press TV stated the U.S. proposal had been “delivered via a friendly regional intermediary.” The Associated Press reported earlier that Pakistan — which has heat ties with each the Trump administration and Tehran — gave Iran the message.

The U.S. proposal, as first reported by The New York Times and Israel’s Channel 12, included Iran’s dedication to by no means pursuing nuclear weapons and dismantling any current nuclear capabilities.

An individual briefed on the proposal advised NPR that the abstract printed by Channel 12 mirrored an early model and that modifications had been made since then, although it wasn’t clear what the modifications had been. The individual requested anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk publicly concerning the matter. NPR has not seen a replica of the proposal.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Wednesday that “talks continue, they are productive,” when requested about Iran’s rejection of the U.S. proposal.

Iranian officers have insisted they aren’t negotiating with the U.S., saying the nations have solely exchanged messages through regional intermediaries.

Iranian army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari prompt “Have your internal conflicts reached the point of you negotiating with yourselves?”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later stated “We do not want a ceasefire,” saying it could result in a vicious cycle of repeated conflict. “We want the war to end in a way that it does not repeat, on our own terms. The damages to the people of Iran must also be compensated,” he told Iran’s state media.

On Tuesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on social media his country “stands ready” to facilitate talks between the U.S. and Iran to finish the conflict. He adopted his assertion by tagging the X accounts of President Trump, in addition to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian overseas minister.

— Daniel Estrin, Emily Feng and Alex Leff

Up to three,000 U.S. paratroopers will deploy to the Middle East

An 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper participates in artillery coaching throughout a subject train at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Aug. 26, 2020.

Sarah Blake Morgan/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Sarah Blake Morgan/AP

Between 2,000 and three,000 U.S. Army paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have acquired written orders to deploy to the Middle East, in keeping with a U.S. authorities official who spoke to NPR on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk publicly.

The troops are anticipated to return from the division’s Immediate Response Force, which might mobilize worldwide inside 18 hours.

The deployment, mixed with two Marine Expeditionary Units already transferring towards the Persian Gulf, may carry 6,000 to eight,000 U.S. floor troops into shut proximity to Iran.

The build-up comes as Trump has alternatively said he does not plan to put boots on the ground, whereas additionally saying he won’t rule it out.

— Quil Lawrence 

Iran says it would enable the passage of “non-hostile” ships by means of Strait of Hormuz

The Albina Bulk provider sits anchored at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman, on on March 22.

Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

cover caption

toggle caption

Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated Tuesday that it could facilitate the “safe passage” of “non-hostile” ships within the Strait of Hormuz, however excluded vessels belonging to the United States, Israel and others engaged within the conflict with Iran from transiting by means of it.

The announcement was made by Iran’s mission in the United Nations on X.

It adopted a letter despatched to the U.N. Secretary General, Antonio Guterres on Sunday, asserting that the passage of ships from nations it deemed impartial to the battle, could be achieved “in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities.”

The letter additionally said that property belonging to the U.S., Israel and their allies “do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage.”

Iran’s announcement got here amid renewed efforts by Washington to debate an exit technique from the present battle and simply as hundreds of U.S. Marines had been ordered to be deployed within the Middle East.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for about 20 % of the world’s international provide of oil, in response to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, which started on Feb. 28. Iran attacked some 20 ships throughout the previous three weeks of the battle and blocked the transit of vessels already within the waters, drawing condemnation from U.N. companies and human rights organizations.

Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has additionally interrupted the worldwide provide of pure gasoline and fertilizer, with over 1,000 ships, most of them oil tankers, and triggered alarm over the destiny of about 20,000 seafarers stranded close to the strait.

Initially, Trump requested NATO nations to help in opening the waterway, however was met with rejection. He then gave Iran an ultimatum to open the waterway by March 23, however has since backed out of that deadline, giving Iranian leaders till the tip of the week to conform together with his calls for.

Recently Iran has allowed some ships from nations it deems impartial events to the present battle, to move. Based on NPR reporting, ships linked to Pakistan and India have been waved by means of the Strait and that governments of China and Iraq had been in negotiations with Iranian authorities to allow a secure passage of their ships. About 90 % of crude oil destined for Asia passes by means of Hormuz.

In the letter to the U.N. Security Council member states, Iranian officers additionally stated they’d applied “a set of precautionary measures” and referred to as on nations to adjust to them, with out specifying what they had been.

Oil costs have surged globally since Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and steady assaults on vitality infrastructure within the Gulf nations, with senior worldwide officers warning of the largest international vitality safety disaster.

Lebanon says greater than 30 individuals killed in in a single day strikes

Israel’s army continued to pound Beirut and its southern suburbs, saying it was targeting sites belonging to the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s well being ministry stated at the very least 33 individuals had been killed within the in a single day strikes, together with a 3-year-old baby. Israel’s operations in Lebanon have killed greater than 1,000 individuals this month, and displaced greater than 1 million, in keeping with Lebanese authorities.

Israel started its army operations in Lebanon earlier this month after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in assist of Iran following the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli assault.

On Tuesday, Israel’s protection minister, Israel Katz, stated Israel plans to retain management of the territory south of the Litani River, which might successfully transfer the Israeli-Lebanese border north by about 10 to twenty miles.

Katz threatened to make use of the “model” of destruction the Israeli army has used within the Gaza Strip in Lebanon, the place many residential areas had been razed.

Paul Khreish, a municipal official within the southern Lebanese village of Ain Ebel, advised NPR by cellphone that he was anxious his area “will no longer be Lebanese” by the tip of Israel’s newest army marketing campaign. Khreish stated he was additionally not sure about whether or not it was secure to flee, as a result of the roads are repeatedly being hit by Israeli strikes.

In its newest report, Human Rights Watch stated Israel’s ways of forcible displacement and deliberate focusing on of civilians in Lebanon danger violating worldwide legislation and represent conflict crimes.

Lebanon’s relationship with Iran, in the meantime, has deteriorated considerably within the final month due to tensions over Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry stated Tuesday it had withdrawn the Iranian ambassador’s accreditation and demanded he depart the nation by Sunday.

Lebanon’s authorities has sought worldwide assist in disarming Hezbollah, which continues to be a robust power in Lebanese politics. Some in Lebanon blame Hezbollah for dragging them into the present conflict.

— Lauren Frayer

U.N. estimates the conflict has value Arab area $63 billion in financial losses as strikes proceed

Kuwait says a drone hit a gas tank at its worldwide airport in a single day, inflicting a big explosion and hearth. That airport and others within the area have been attacked a number of occasions by Iranian drones within the conflict.

In addition to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia says it intercepted extra missiles and drones in a single day focusing on its oil-rich japanese area, with particles falling on properties there.

The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Turk, says U.S. and Israeli assaults are hitting properties, hospitals, faculties and cultural websites in Iran. He additionally says Iranian assaults are putting vitality and water infrastructure in Gulf Arab nations.

“Many of the strikes in this conflict raise serious concerns under international law, which prohibits attacks targeting civilians and their infrastructure,” Turk stated.

The U.N. assesses the conflict has already precipitated some $63 billion in financial losses throughout the Arab area, he added.

— Aya Batrawy

Iraq will get drawn additional into the conflict

Members of Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of factions now built-in into the common military, carry the coffin of the Hashd al-Shaabi operations commander for Al-Anbar, Saad Dawai alongside others throughout a mass funaral in Baghdad on March 24, 2026.

Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP through Getty Images

cover caption

toggle caption

Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP through Getty Images

Iraq stated an assault Wednesday close to a military medical heart killed at the very least seven Iraqi troopers and has complained to the U.S. over the airstrikes.

The Iraqi authorities stated a strike hit close to a base of Iran-backed paramilitaries in Iraq’s western Anbar province. The authorities did not determine the attackers however stated it had summoned the highest U.S. diplomat within the nation to formally complain about what it thought of a breach of worldwide legislation.

Iraq has a strategic partnership with the U.S. whereas additionally internet hosting highly effective Iran-backed militias which can be formally a part of Iraqi authorities forces however not totally beneath authorities management. Some of these militias have been focusing on U.S. bases in Iraq and Iraq’s Kurdistan area.

The U.S. and Israel have been launching airstrikes in retaliation for assaults by the Iran-backed Iraqi teams on U.S. positions for the reason that conflict in Iran started.

Iraq’s National Security Council stated Wednesday it approved Iran-backed paramilitary forces to reply to any assaults on their positions, doubtlessly giving the inexperienced gentle for assaults on U.S. forces.

The transfer got here after airstrikes killed at the very least 15 fighters from Iran-backed Iraqi teams, together with a senior commander, in Anbar province on Tuesday, in keeping with the Iraqi authorities.

The authorities stated assaults additionally focused the residence within the metropolis of Mosul of a senior Iraqi official who heads the forces.

On Wednesday, the Peshmerga militia forces within the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq stated six Iranian ballistic missiles struck certainly one of their headquarters close to Irbil on Tuesday, killing six fighters.

Iraq’s authorities stated it summoned the Iranian ambassador to complain concerning the assault — the primary identified by Iran on the Iraqi Kurdistan area’s forces within the conflict.

Iran has stepped up assaults within the area, together with in Irbil, the Kurdish area’s capital, the place the provincial authorities stated U.S. fighter jets had been patrolling.

Regional President Nechirvan Barzani stated Iran acknowledged that the assault was a “mistake” and stated it was investigating.

— Jane Arraf

Daniel Estrin contributed reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel, Quil Lawrence from New York, Aya Batrawy from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Lauren Frayer from Beirut, Jane Arraf from Amman, Jordan, Rebecca Rosman from Paris and Alex Leff from Washington.